WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE?
What’s Your Favourite?
Distillery owner and AMA member Gurpreet Ranu on unexpected cocktail flavours, essential travel destinations and what to add to poutine.
By Zoe Whittall
GURPREET RANU’S FAVOURITE flavour to pair with whisky? “Another whisky!” he says. It makes sense that Ranu has this singular passion — his love of whisky changed his life. A former corporate lawyer (with a degree in particle physics), Ranu went all-in to pursue his true calling as the owner, master distiller and in-house counsel at Anohka Distillery in Parkland County, west of Edmonton. Happily, Ranu’s career pivot has paid off: in 2024, Anohka’s This Is Not Whisky spirit won silver for Best New Make and Spirit at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards in London.
PHOTO: KARLY WATSON
(From top) Spices at an Indian bazaar; the matcha-based Tea Ceremony cocktail at Martiny’s. | PHOTOS: (FROM TOP) CURIOSO PHOTOGRAPHY/ ADOBE STOCK; TODD COLEMAN/ COURTESY OF MARTINY’S
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would return to India because it’s like going to a different planet. The smells and tastes and flavours and sounds... it’s so different from our day-to-day here in Canada. Nothing you can eat in India is boring. Everything is an experience.
Do you have a favourite distillery?
Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown, Scotland.
What’s your favourite bar?
Martiny’s in New York or The Keefer Bar in Vancouver. They’re both very creative — they use completely unexpected mixtures of flavours that you wouldn’t think make sense until you try them. Martiny’s had a guacamole sour and an Indian mule, both of them amazing. The Indian mule was a curry powder-infused tequila with Japanese apple, lemon, ginger ale, bay leaf and olive.
How about restaurants?
El Gato Negro in Panama City. We loved it so much, we went multiple times. Their baked celeriac root seasoned with garlic flowers was unbelievable.
What’s another great gathering spot that isn’t a bar or restaurant?
The Edmonton Folk Fest. Everybody’s in a good mood, the music is great, the food is great, and it is family friendly.
Is there a dish you like to sample wherever you go? And do you have a favourite food?
Pizza. And anything made with Sichuan peppers. I’m sad we don’t use [them] in our cuisine here. There’s not enough Sichuan food in Canada. I put Sichuan peppers in my poutine gravy now. AMA
Campbeltown’s Springbank Distillery was established in 1828. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF SPRINGBANK DISTILLERS
GURPREET RANU’S FAVOURITE flavour to pair with whisky? “Another whisky!” he says. It makes sense that Ranu has this singular passion — his love of whisky changed his life. A former corporate lawyer (with a degree in particle physics), Ranu went all-in to pursue his true calling as the owner, master distiller and in-house counsel at Anohka Distillery in Parkland County, west of Edmonton. Happily, Ranu’s career pivot has paid off: in 2024, Anohka’s This Is Not Whisky spirit won silver for Best New Make and Spirit at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards in London.
PHOTO: KARLY WATSON
dolore ea
Officia voluptate eiusmod aliquip nostrud consectetur Lorem. Ut nostrud excepteur laborum.
dolore ea
Officia voluptate eiusmod aliquip nostrud consectetur Lorem. Ut nostrud excepteur laborum.
(From left) Spices at an Indian bazaar; the matcha-based Tea Ceremony cocktail at Martiny’s. | PHOTOS: (FROM LEFT) CURIOSO PHOTOGRAPHY/ ADOBE STOCK; TODD COLEMAN/ COURTESY OF MARTINY’S
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would return to India because it’s like going to a different planet. The smells and tastes and flavours and sounds... it’s so different from our day-to-day here in Canada. Nothing you can eat in India is boring. Everything is an experience.
Do you have a favourite distillery?
Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown, Scotland.
What’s your favourite bar?
Martiny’s in New York or The Keefer Bar in Vancouver. They’re both very creative — they use completely unexpected mixtures of flavours that you wouldn’t think make sense until you try them. Martiny’s had a guacamole sour and an Indian mule, both of them amazing. The Indian mule was a curry powder-infused tequila with Japanese apple, lemon, ginger ale, bay leaf and olive.
How about restaurants?
El Gato Negro in Panama City. We loved it so much, we went multiple times. Their baked celeriac root seasoned with garlic flowers was unbelievable.
What’s another great gathering spot that isn’t a bar or restaurant?
The Edmonton Folk Fest. Everybody’s in a good mood, the music is great, the food is great, and it is family friendly.
Is there a dish you like to sample wherever you go? And do you have a favourite food?
Pizza. And anything made with Sichuan peppers. I’m sad we don’t use [them] in our cuisine here. There’s not enough Sichuan food in Canada. I put Sichuan peppers in my poutine gravy now. AMA
Campbeltown’s Springbank Distillery was established in 1828. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF SPRINGBANK DISTILLERS